Layup apparatus

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus are provided for forming large wall or shell-like structures such as tanks, vessels, containers and buildings on the site where they are to be used. In a first form, a filament-winding technique involves the use of a preform erected at the location of the shape to be formed, the preform and/or the filament-winding equipment being rotatable so as to dispose a plurality of filaments on the receiving surface in a circular arrangement to define strata of the wall being formed. The preform may comprise a thin sheetlike member erected at the site of use. The sheetlike wall may be self-supporting, supported by a skeletal frame or inflated and supported by air pressure. The filament-winding apparatus may include a base for supporting the preform and the eventual housing to be formed thereof, said base being stationary such as a tarmac formed on the ground or rotatable on a tarmac to rotate the preform while the apparatus for directing material such as fluent material and/or filaments against the surface of the preform moves in a vertical direction to properly dispense same and buildup a suitable wall formation thereof. In another form, the dispensing apparatus is also operative to rotate about the preform on a track or on an overhead conveyor such as a boom or overhead track erected at the site of location of the vessel or shell.

e States Paten [72] Inventor [54] LAYUP APPARATUS 11 Claims, 17 DrawingFigs.

[52] 111.8. Cl 156/446, 156/167,156/173,156/500,242/7.21 [51] Int. ClB65h 54/00 [50] Field of Search 242/721, 7.22; 156/446, 500,173,433,116; 18/12 N, 12 F, 8 W8 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS3,052,266 9/1962 l-luck..... 242/721 X 3,112,895 12/1963 Kinney 156/446X 3,206,899 9/1965 Wright 156/500 X 3,255,976 6/1966 Mede 242/7213,367,815 2/1968 Ragettli et al 156/446 3,391,873 7/1968 l-lardesty156/446 3,440,125 4/1969 Lindh et a1 156/500X 3,448,253 6/1969 Bramblettet a1. 156/173 X 2,729,268 l/1956 Broughton et al. 156/425 X 3,391,8737/1968 Hardesty 242/2 Primary Examiner-Benjamin A. Borchelt AssistantExaminerG. E. Montone ABSTRACT: A method and apparatus are provided forforming large wall or shell-like structures such as tanks, vessels,containers and buildings on the site where they are to be used. In afirst form, a filament-winding technique involves the use of a preformerected at the location of the shape to be formed, the preform and/orthe filament-winding equipment being rotatable so as to dispose aplurality of filaments on the receiv ing surface in a circulararrangement to define strata of the wall being formed. The preform maycomprise a thin sheetlike member erected at the site of use. Thesheetlike wall may be self-supporting, supported by a skeletal frame orinflated and supported by air pressure.

The filament-winding apparatus may include a base for supporting thepreform and the eventual housing to be formed thereof, said base beingstationary such as a tarmac formed on the ground or rotatable on atarmac to rotate the preform while the apparatus for directing materialsuch as fluent material and/or filaments against the surface of thepreform moves in a vertical direction to properly dispense same andbuildup a suitable wall formation thereof. In another form, thedispensing apparatus is also operative to rotate about the preform on atrack or on an overhead conveyor such as a boom or overhead trackerected at the site of location of the vessel or shell.

PATENTEDnm 26 I97! 3,616,070

SHEET 2 OF 4 M2 78 7980 U F|g.6 V

INVENTOR.

JEROME H.LEMELSON PATENIEDDET 26 I9?! SHEET 3 [1F 4 Fig.l O

a r L m,

9 f H W Fig.

INVENTOR.

JEROME H.LEMELSON lLAYUlP APPARATUS RELATED APPLICATIONS This is acontinuation-in-part of copending application, Ser. No. 703,287 filedFeb. 6, 1968, now abandoned, and entitled Deposition Molding Apparatusand Method and having as a parent application, Ser. No. 734,340 filedMay 9, 1958, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,173,175, for Molding Apparatus, andSer. No. 501,396, filed Oct. 22, 1965 3,412,431 for Manipulator Jointand Apparatus having as a parent application Ser. No. 251,410 forArticle Manipulation Apparatus filed .Ian. 14, l963now U.S. Pat. No.3,272,347.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to apparatus and methodsfor forming large hollow structures such as tanks, vessels andshell-like housings preferably at the site of their use by employingeither a combination of filament or ribbon winding and depositiontechnique or by otherwise depositing fluent material on a preform.

It is known in the art to form bodies of revolution by winding aplurality of threads or filaments of glass fed from spools, back andforth against a preform which is rotated about a fixed axis and bondingthe filaments together with a plastic applied to the filaments as theyare fed to or drawn against the preform. Filament winding machinery hasheretofore comprised a rotatable head stock and tail stock between whichis suspended a preform, generally a body of revolution, which is rotatedabout its axis of symmetry disposed at the axis of rotation of the headand tail stocks. When the winding is completed, the wound and moldedshell is either removed from the preform or retained thereon for use ofthe composite shell as a casing after it is removed from the machine.The winding machine is located in a manufacturing plant As a result,shapes and bodies producible by the apparatus of the prior art have beenlimited in overall dimension and configuration not only because of thelimitations inherent in the factory operating winding machines but alsobecause of the limitations resulting from the necessity of handling andtransporting the shapes so formed to the site or location of their use.Large, hollow containers such as oil, chemical and water tanks haveheretofore been fabricated of many sections of rolled metal plate orsheet which are welded or riveted together at substantial expense due tolabor and material costs.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of this invention to provide a newand improved apparatus and method for fabricating large hollow bodies ofrevolution such as tanks, vessels and the like.

Another object is to provide an apparatus for fabricating large tanks,vessels and the like at the site of their use by filament winding so asto eliminate the need to transport same to such location.

Another object is to provide an apparatus and method for fabricatinglarge vessels such as oil and gasoline tanks directly from a pluralityof raw materials without the need for erecting and joining separatelyformed wall portions of the vessels.

Another object is to provide a new and improved apparatus and method forforming hollow objects by winding filaments or other shapes which arefreshly formed at or near the winding machinery thereby eliminating theneed to provide spools of filamentary material and to replace and adjustsame when they run out.

Another object is to provide an apparatus and method for forming thewalls of structures such as vessels, housings, buildings and the like byextrusion forming portions of said walls in situ against supportingmeans.

Another object is to provide an improved extrusion apparatus capable offorming composite structures.

With the above and such other objects in view as may hereafter morefully appear, the novel constructions, combinations and arrangements ofparts as will be more fully described and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, but it is to be understood that changes,variations and modifications may be resorted to which fall within thescope of the invention as claimed.

FIG. l is an isometric of an apparatus utilized to fonn a large, hollowobject such as a cylindrical vessel by automatic winding or layuptechniques;

FIG. 2 is an isometric view with parts: broken away for clarity of amodified form of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2' is an isometric view of a fragment of a modified form of theapparatus of FIG. 2;

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a modified form of tank winding or layupapparatus in which the winding means is totally supported by a tracklocated on the ground;

FIG. 4 is a side view with parts broken away for clarity of a formwinding up layup apparatus wherein the form is rotated while the windingmeans remains stationary;

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of part of a filament winding head andmanipulator applicable to the devices of FIGS. 1-4;

FIG. 6 is a plan view with parts broken away for clarity of a modifiedform of the apparatus of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an isometric view with parts: broken away for clarity of amodified form of filament-winding apparatus having filament supply meanslocated remote from the winding head;

FIG. 8 is a side view of a portion of a filament-winding apparatusemploying means for continuously and automatically forming filamentsjust prior to their winding;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a modified form of the apparatus of FIG. b;

FIG. is a side view of a portion of an apparatus for con tinuouslyforming a layup material in filament or sheet form and disposing sameagainst a substrate as the forming means is conveyed past the substrate;

FIG. 111 is a side view of a layup apparatus employing a manipulator andmeans for continuously forming layup material such as a sheet of plasticor ceramic;

FIG. 12 is a side view of a layup or coating apparatus operative totravel up a frame or wall supporting the surface to be coated orcovered;

FIG. 13 is a partial side view with parts broken away and omitted forclarity of a portion of a modified form of the apparatus shown in FIG.Ill;

FIG. 14 is an end view with parts broken away for clarity of theapparatus of FIG. 13;

FIG. I5 is a schematic diagram of an automatic control system for afilament winding or layup apparatus of the type shown in FIG. 2 and FIG.16 is a schematic diagram of a layup or winding apparatus employing anextruder for supplying material to be deposited or wound. There is shownin FIG. I an apparatus 10 for forming large cylindrical containers 20such as water tanks, oil and chemical tanks and the like at the site oftheir erection and use. In a first form of the invention, a centrallydisposed vertical pylon or tower III is. erected either on the ground ora concrete, plastic or otherwise formed foundation or tarmac T and has arotatable fitting or fixture 12 at its upper end to which a radiallyoutwardly extending boom or arm 13 is secured. Secured to the outer endof arm 13 and subtending downwardly therefrom is a vertical arm or frame14 supported at its lower end on a carriage 15 which is adapted totravel a circular track 16 extending around and outwardly of the volumedefined by the cylindrical wall or tank 20 to be erected or wound.Movable up and down and guided in frame 14 is a carriage assembly I7which is provided with means for supplying and, in certain instances,forming and disposing material such as a plurality of windable filamentsagainst a preform 20' of cylindrical shape. The preform 20' defines abase or support for said filaments during the layup or winding operationand will be described hereafter. In FIG. I, the notation l8 refers tothe head part of assembly 17 from which deposition material or filamentsare guided or flowed onto the surface of I preform 20'.

The head 18 may also comprise or contain a flame spraying unit fortemperature processing and spraying material such as metal, plastics orceramics therefrom on to the surface of the preform.

The assembly including arms 13 and 14, carriages l5 and 17 may be powerdriven to rotate about the axis defined by pylon 11 by either powerrotating the pylon 11 with the arm 13 attached thereto or by powerdriving carriage 15 along track 16 or by a combination of power rotatingpylon l1 synchronized to the powered operation of carriage 15 alongtrack 16.

The carriage 17 is operative to be power driven up and down verticalframe 14 while material is dispensed or guided therefrom to be wound onthe preform 20 or sprayed thereon or extruded as a sheet or stripthereon as will be described hereafter.

The preform 20 may comprise a shell of light sheet material which isself-supporting, supported on a frame or maintained erect by airpressure. The cylindrical preform 20 may thus be made of one or morecylindrical sections of sheet metal, or rigid plastic or laminates ofrigid materials or may be formed of flexible, plastic sheet or filmformed in an inflatable enclosure and erected on the tarmac T byinflation with air. Suitable supporting skeletal structures or wires(not shown) may be connected to pins or eyebolts sunk into the concreteor plastic of the tarmac T and connected to hold the preform 20' erectduring the winding or layup procedures initial stages.

The arm 13 may also extend radially to the other side of the preform asshown and may be connected to a second vertical arm or frame 14' forguiding a second winding or layup apparatus (not shown) similar to thatsupported by frame 14 and operative to wind or deposit material onto thepreform simultaneously with the similar operation of the other windingor layup apparatus.

Other features of the apparatus of FIG. 1 includes the provision of asupply means or reservoir 15 of layup material on the lower carriage l5and a flexible conduit or conveyor 19 extending between the lowercarriage 15 and the vertically movable carriage 17 to supply thedispensing head 18 with layup and/or winding material. A motor MZmounted on the carriage 17 power drives said carriage up and down thetrackway and is automatically controlled in its operation to assuresuitable deposition of material on the preform 20'. Notation 9 refers toan inflatable, domelike enclosure which may be maintained inflated aboutthe apparatus and preform of FIG. I to protect same from elements ofweather and flying dirt during the winding operation. A ballast ring 9'supports the inflated wall of the enclosure and a compressor 22maintains air pressure.

In FIG. 2 is shown a modified form of the apparatus of FIG. 1 forforming cylindrical housings as described by winding or otherwise layinga material onto a preform as the winding or laying means rotates aboutthe preform. Unlike to apparatus of FIG. 1, apparatus 21 is supportedonly from the interior of the tank preform 20' and does not ride on acircular track. The apparatus 21 includes a support or base 22 having apylon or column 23 supporting drive shaft 23 which shaft is powerrotated about a vertical axis on said base by a motor MR. A firstlateral arm 24 is pivotally supported at the upper end of pylon 23 abouta joint 1-1 and is power rotatable about a horizontal axis to raise andlower a second arm 25 for vertically positioning a winding or dispensinghead 18 disposed on a third arm 26 at the end of arm 25. The head 18 maybe operative as elsewhere described herein to guide a plurality ofpreformed filaments or ribbons onto the preform, or to extrude one ormore filaments, ribbon or sheet material to be wound or otherwisedisposed against said preform. Notations J-2 and 1-3 refer to jointmechanisms respectively joining arms 24, 25, and 25, 26 each of whichjoint mechanisms in clude a motor for power rotating one arm withrespect to the other as provided for example, in my copendingapplication, Ser. No. 501,396. Each of the described motors ispreferably controlled by a single master controller or other form ofcontrol means which may also control the means driving, feeding orcontrolling the flow of winding filaments and other material beingdeposited on the preform so that the winding or deposition operation maybe predetermined and varied, if need be, in accordance with variationsin external shape or diameter, wall thickness requirements, anddeposition material. In operation of apparatus 21, while arm 23 ispredeterrninately rotated, the motors MJ 1, M12, M13 and M14 arepredeterminately controlled to properly guide head 18 both around andvertically with respect to preform 20 to wind or distribute thefilaments or layup material on the preform. In the apparatus 21 of FIG.2, layup or winding material may be provided on one or more reels orreservoirs (not shown) supported by arm 26 or may be fed from a sourceor reservoir supported on or adjacent to base 22 and fed throughpassageways in the arms 23-26 and across the joints J1 to J3 as shown ingreater detail in my copending application, Ser. No. 501,396.

In FIG. 2 is shown a modified form of the apparatus of FIG. 2 having thelower joint J3 and arm 26 eliminated with the arm 25' adapted to besupported in a vertical attitude as it is rotated about the tankpreform. The discharge or guide head 18 is supported on a carriage 28which is adapted to be power driven by a motor ME up and down arm 25'for vertically positioning the layup or winding material.

FIG. 3 illustrates another form of the invention wherein a winding orlayup apparatus 30 for tanks and the like comprises a movable assembly31 mounted on a base carriage 32 having wheels 33 adapted for travel ona circular track 37 composed of concentric circular rails 37a and 37bextending around and a distance away from the cylindrical prefonn. Thecarriage 32 is power driven on track 37 by a motor MT coupled to thewheels of the carriage which motor is speed controlled in accordancewith the rate of efflux or drive of the material to be wound ordeposited on the preform 20'.

Extending upwardly from and supported by the carriage 32 is a frame 34supporting a vertical trackway 36 for guiding a second carriage 35 invertical movement off the surface of the preform 20' whereby material tobe deposited or wound may be guided or flowed from a head 18 mounted onand extending horizontally from said carriage 35 and is operative todrive said carriage up and down on track 36 at a predetermined rate asthe apparatus 30 travels circularly about the preform 20' or track 37 soas to predeterminately wind filaments or deposit material thereon.

As in the operation of the other apparatus provided herein,

winding or layup material may be fed to the dispensing head- 18 mountedon carriage 35 from a supply thereof in the form of spools, a hopper orother means to be described, mounted on the carriage 35 or supported bythe base carriage 32. A flexible conduit 19 is shown in FIG. 3 forcarrying layup or winding material from a supply means or reservoir 38supported by carriage 35 and is connected at its other end eitherdirectly to head 18 or to further means (not shown) on carriage 35 forpredeterminately supplying said head with deposition or windingmaterial.

ln H6. 4 is shown a modified form of apparatus 40 for forming a tank orvessel on a preform by rotationally mounting said preforrn on afoundation at the site of its use and rotating same during the windingor layup operation while the filament winding head or spray head ismoved only in the vertical direction. The winding prefonn comprises adisc shaped base 47 having a hub 49 at the center thereof supporting apin or shaft 49? which rotates in a thrust bearing 50 sunk in theconcrete or plastic tarmac T. The bearing 50 comprises a lower bearingmember 51 with tapered rollers 52 engaged by an upper hub member 53having a flange 54 operative to engage and support the bottom face ofdisc 47. Depending on the size of disc 47 and the height of the tank tohe formed, three or more wheels W may be mounted near the periphery ofthe disc 47 to ride on the tarmac T or on a circular track (not shown)disposed thereon to facilitate rotation of the tank preform duringwinding. Extending upwardly from the periphery of the disc 47 is acylindrical frame or sidewall 48 formed, as described of rigid orinflatable sheet material. The sidewall is shown joined by a top wall48T which. if the preform sidewall is made of rigid sheet material,serves to support the upper end of the preform and, if made of flexiblematerial, serves to form an enclosure capable of being inflated todefine the shape of the preform prior to winding or layup.

Controlled rotation of the preform may be effected in a number ofmanners. In FIG. 41, the peripheral circular edge of the base M isprovided with. gearlike teeth Mr therein which teeth are engaged by theteeth of a small bevel or spurgear 56 secured to a shaft 5h driven by acontrolled gear motor 54 supported by a base 57 which also supports thewinding and layup equipment. Extending upwardly from base $7 is a frame58 supporting a vertical track 59 on which a carriage 6b is operative totravel as power driven therealong to position and move the dispensing orguide head llll for winding or otherwise depositing material on thepreform as the latter is predeterminately rotated as described.

Upon completing winding and/or material layup operation to form thecylindrical sidewall of the tank one or more additional operations maybe effected to complete the fabrication of the installation. These mayinclude any or all of the following operations: s

a. Winding and/or layup of deposited material may be effected bysuitable program or computer control of the described servo motors toform the top of tank or vessel integral with the side wall either as theside wall is formed or upon the completion thereof by disposingfilamentary and/or deposition material on the top wall portion of thepreform.

b. A separate top wall or cover may be secured to the upper rim of thewound or deposited cylindrical sidewall and may be used per se, bondedthereto or form a base onto which further material is wound or depositedto mold a unitary, integral tanlt structure.

. Fittings for filling and emptying the tanlt of fluids may be securedto openings provided in the top, bottom and/or side walls of the tank orthe tubular pin di l of FIG. d.

d. The bottom wall or disc d7 may be supported from beneath by employingplanking or checking means, by lowering same to the tarmac if afterremoval of the wheels W and bearing fill or suitable material such asconcrete or plastic may be injected or poured into the volume betweenwall 47 and the tarmac and allowed to harden. Tapping and filling ofliquid contents of the tank may be attained through piping lit in thetarmac 'I" when it is formed (not shown) extending through the center ofbearing fill and hub W to the interior of the tank through the hollowpivot pin dill.

Turning now to the construction of the filament winding or layup headdefined by notation ill in FlGS. l to i, there are shown in F lGS. b to9, a number of different devices mounted on the described verticallytraveling carriers, for performing either or both the operations ofguiding a plurality of filaments or otherwise shaped elongated filamentsin a winding operation onto the tank preform and/or for forming,spraying or flowing fluent material and curing same thereon such asliquid or molten plastic, foamed or foaming plastic, concrete or cementdepending on the nature of the wall or shell to be formed.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show one form of filament winding head a sembly lldacomprising a platform 62 extending outwardly from the carriage 61 whichis adapted to travel up and down a vertical arm or traclrway 6dpositioned as hereinabove described, parallel to the surface of thehousing or vessel preform. Itemovably secured by means of a clampingfixture 63 on the platform 62 is an assembly 6d of a plurality of spools65 of filamentary winding material, the spools 65 being disposed oneabove the other for free wheeling rotation on a shaft 66 which issupported by a frame 67. One side till of the frame 67 is a hollowhousing having holes in opposite walls thereof through which thefilaments F may extend. Tensioning and/or drive means (not shown) areprovided in the housing 63 for suitably feeding the filaments from thespools 6b to the surface of the preform during the winding operation asdescribed.

Disposed at one side of the spool frame assembly M and supported by theplatform 62 is a header 69 containing a plurality of spray nozzles 70for flowing fluent material such as liquid or molten polymer and/orother suitable material adapted to serve as a binder for the filamentsand/or as the matrix for the shell formed on the preform. Such polymermay comprise a resin such as a polyester, epoxy, polysulfone,polycarbonate or other resin which may also be applied directly to thefilaments in the housing fill by suitable means. If sprayed or extrudedonto the surface of the article being wound-formed the polymer flow maybe effected by a motor operating a pump or screw, said motor beingautomatically controlled in its operation as described.

Also shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 is an apparatus 711 supported on theplatform which device is operative to cause the rapid solidification orcuring of the polymer ejected from noales 7d afterit has been depositedand the filaments have been em bedded or compressed thereagainst. Theapparatus 7i may comprise one or more devices for generating anddirecting intense radiation against the composite deposited and woundmaterials such as an electron gun, microwave generator, glow dischargemeans or source of atomic radiation.

The apparatus llfla of FIGS. 5 and 6 may be operated to deposit bothresin as a spray and to wind a plurality of filaments on a preform byany of the machine arrangements described and illustrated in the otherdrawings or may be employed to construct a shell, wall, vessel orhousing by merely distributing fluent, hardenable or settable materialor materi als against a preform by spraying same from one or morenozzles such as nozzles 70. Fremixes of short reinforcement filament andresin may also be sprayed or disposed from the head assembly lila as theconveying means therefore is predeterminately controlled and positionedas described.

The individual glass, plastic of metal filaments F which are carried bythe spools 6% may be secured to the preform or partly completed moldingto effect the start of a winding cycle by auxiliary means, not shown,secured to or separate from the platform 62 which auxiliary means isoperative to clampingly engage and compress the filaments against theform or base they are to be wound on while the ends of said filamentsare either welded thereto with heat or radiation applied to the filaments and base or adhesively bonded in encapsulating resin applied bythe automatically controlled operation of the described filamentsecuring operation may be under the control of the same mastercontroller controlling operation of the winding and layup action. Amotor My is shown in FIG. 6 secured to platform 62 and having the outputshaft operative to move the spool assembly 64 on to bring the ends ofthe filaments F into contact with the surface on which they are to bewound for bonding same to resin deposited thereon as described. in thisarrangement, the spool mount is movable on the platform 62 or asupporting frame secured thereto.

In FIG. '7 is shown a modified form of the apparatus of FIGS. 55 and 6wherein a plurality of filaments or threads as described are remotelysupplied from respective spools or forming means provided in a containerM for said filaments and are each fed through a separate duct 73' of aflexible conduit 73: extending to a fixture 7d supported on the outputshaft of a lineal motor or actuator My mounted on the platform 62 of thewinding manipulator assembly. The flexible conduit 73 is a multiductextrusion of flexible plastic and has a plurality of spacers 738 such aswashers secured in each duct thereof to retain the threads centeredwithin their respective ducts as the conduit deflects with the up anddown movement of the platform during the winding operation. A gear motorMF secured to the fixture M has its output shaft MIFS containing aplurality of rollers 7d which cooperate with respective freewheelingpinch rollers 76 mounted on a shaft supported by the fixture for drivingrespective threads or filaments F fed between respective pairs of saidrollers. Controlled operation of the motor MFS may thus be employed tonot only feed the filaments to the surface of the shape being wound butmay also be utilized to maintain the proper tension in the filamentsduring winding. Accordingly, suitable known means is employed to sensevariations in the resistance experienced by the shaft of motor lVIF orthe tension of filaments F between the fixture 7d and the work and toprovide a feedback signal for correcting the operation of gear motor MEto provide the filaments in a predetermined state of tension as they arefed to the work.

FlGS. 8 and 9 illustrate a modified form of winding means of the typedescribed whereby filaments or ribbon material is produced on acontinuous basis either directly on the described manipulator platformsor an auxiliary support means supporting or movable with the platforms;thereby eliminating the need to provide spools of filaments and tochange same during the construction of the vessel or tank. Secured tothe platform 62 is an apparatus 77 for continuously forming and feedinga plurality of filaments or ribbonlike formations of glass, plastic,metal or ceramic materials. The apparatus 77 includes an extrusionmachine 78 of conventional design having a multiple orifice die 79through which a plurality of filaments F of the extrusion material maybe formed to shape in die 79 and fed in parallel or other array to achilling or setting chamber 80 at the end of die 79 and operative to setor condition said filaments so that they may be parallelly fed as shownto the work W without support. Chamber 80 may comprise a water bath orwater spray chamber or means for feeding a coolant gas to cool theextruding formations. The extruder 78 and chamber 80 may be movabletogether on the platform 62 to engage the ends of the extrusions withthe work W when they are fu'st formed. Shown in the drawings is aclamping head 81 which is provided on the shaft 84' of a lineal actuator84 which is operative to advance a clamping fixture 81 after a solenoid85 actuates the jaws of the fixture to grip the multiple extrudingfilaments as they first extrude from the die as shown in FIG. 9.Predetermined controlled operation of the actuator or motor 84 isoperative to urge the filaments against the surface of the work,compress and hold same against said work surface prior to initiating thewinding operation so as to secure said filaments to said work in theadhesive plastic applied thereto from the spray nozzles. The clampinghead 81 may also contain heating elements or radiation curing means forthe plastic in the immediate vicinity of the filament end portions soheld against the work to effect the setting or curing of said plastic tohold the filaments in place so that winding may properly proceedthereafter.

Further details of the apparatus 77 of FIGS. 8 and 9 include theprovision of a supply system to maintain continuous flow of extrusionmaterial to the extruder 78 in the form of a supply or feed reservoir 79disposed above the inlet to the extrusion screw or accumulator to whichis continuously operated or intermittently feeds powdered or granularextrusion material received from a flexible conduit or conveyor 86extending from a larger reservoir 87 of extrusion material mounted on acarriage 88 which may or may not be attached to the manipulationapparatus as described. Also provided as part of the apparatus of FIGS.8 and 9 is a spray head 89 containing a plurality of nozzles 90 andmeans for spray feeding an encapsulating or bonding resin to the work inadvance of or against the filaments being wound thereon as heretoforedescribed. Curing or setting of said resin is accelerated by radiationfrom a radiant energy generating means 71 mounted adjacent the extrusionapparatus.

The apparatus of FIGS. 8 and 9 may be operated in a number of manners toproperly provide extruded material on a preform or support for buildingup a container or housing thereof. Extrusion materials may comprise oneor a plurality of such materials as glass, polymers, ceramics or metalswhich may be extruded in filamentary, ribbon, sheet, slab or otherstructural form to the preform or supporting structure as one or aplurality of such shapes as either the extruder and/or the preform ismoved in a rotary or other manner to effect the layup or deposition ofthe extruded shape or shapes on the preform and, in certain windingoperations, on previously extruded and wound or deposited layers.

Certain finishing operations may also be performed on the continuouslyextruded formations or filamentary material prior to actually applyingsame to the surface of the work. For example, a plurality of filamentsmay be extruded or blown to shape by operation of the apparatus 78 andmay be spun, twisted or otherwise processed in the housing 80 beforebeing drawn on the work to improve their tensile strength. Extruded orblown glass or ceramic filaments may be coated with a resin forbondingpurposes in the housing 80 which resin may supplement or replacethe described sprayed on resin. The extruder 78 maybe replaced by anapparatus for containously forming whisker elements for blow formingfilaments of glass or ceramic materials in a flame jet, which filamentsor whiskers may be fed directly to the work or first processed intothread before being deposited or wound thereon.

In another form of the invention, one or more sheet or structuralextrusions may be continuously formed as described and spirally orotherwise fed to a support or preform for covering and forming a wall orshell thereon. Extrusion material in sheet or slab form may bedownwardly extruded and draped or laid onto a suitable surface such asthe ground, or a preform, from a moving manipulator or vehicle toprovide a surfacing or tarmac. Sheet plastic material may becontinuously extruded and downwardly fed to a support such as a floor,wall, wirelike matrix or other shape and solidified in situ thereon asthe extruder or die is predeterminately moved across the surface of thesupport by manipulation means such as a vehicle or such as thatdescribed therein to form a covering or coating of said plastic thereon.

In FIG. 10 is shown an apparatus 93 for forming and applying anextrusion to a substrate 92 such as a preform, wall, flooring or theground to provide a covering or coating thereon. The extrusion 96 whichflows downwardly from the die 95 of an extruder 95 is shown as asheetlike formation, although it may comprise filaments, ribbons,structural shapes or one or more slablike formations. The extruder 95 ismounted on a support 94 such as a portion of the body of a wheeled,groundtraveling vehicle or an arm of a manipulator or overhead travelingcrane which is adapted to travel across the substrate 92 atsubstantially the speed of extrusion so as not to stretch or cause theextrusion to ruffle. Conversely, the substrate may also be moved orrotated at the same speed at which the extrusion travels from theextruder. In order to assure an even lay of the extrusion 96 against thesurface of the substrate 92 and, in certain instances, to cause theextrusion to conform to said surface and become bonded thereto, a roller98 is rotationally supported on a mount 97 secured to the end of support94 and is operative to receive and compress the extrusion 96 against thesubstrate 92. The roller 98 may he power rotated to provide its surfacetraveling at the speed of extrusion and relative travel of the assembly93 and substrate 92 or may be free wheeling and is operative by suitableurging said apparatus 93 toward said substrate, to predetenninatelyforce the sheet 96 against the surface of 92 for shaping and pressurebonding the semimolten extrusion to said substrate. Notation 99 refersto a spray head for applying reinforcements and/or adhesive materialwhen needed to the surface of substrate 92 in advance of the extrusion.Notation 100 refers to a curing apparatus such as a radiant energygenerator or coolant dispenser supported beyond roller 98 on mount 94and operative, when necessary, to accelerate curing or hardening of theplastic material extruded onto the preform or substrate.

The apparatus 93 of FIG. 10 may be utilized to extrude, lay, bond andcure thermoplastic or thermosetting resins or metal in sheet, slab,strip, tubular, structural or otherwise shaped formations to suchsubstrates as skeletal supporting structures such as welded rods, wiremesh or honeycomb structures; inflatable preforms and other surfaceswhich offer sufficient support during the layup, winding or coatingoperation. In one procedure, a sheet, strip, tube or structuralextrusion may be formed and compressed against a substrate or apreviously extruded portion of the same material which may be supportedfacewise or edgewise. The operation may include butt or lap welding orbonding the extrusion to previously extruded portions thereof in the actof constructing a large wall, tarmac, dome, hull or other shape with aportion of the wheel or roller 98 operative to effect said butt or lapwelding of the extrusion.

In such an operation, the spray means 99 may or may not be utilized tospray or extrude adhesive of filamentary material between or along theedges of the extrusion being deposited and that deposited by previouslayup operation of the apparatus. For example, the manipulation meansfor the apparatus 93 may be operative to extrude one or more strip,sheet, tubular or structural shapes in a circular movement to form largecylindrical shapes or in a spirallike movement about a vertical axis toform domelike or conical shapes.

In FIG. llll, an apparatus 925' of the type provided in H6. ill isoperative to move bidirectionally to extrude material of the typedescribed as a series of separate extrusions formed edgewise,overlapping or one on the other above a support such as a floor, frameor ceiling to define a roof, covering or coating thereon. in otherwords, the extrusion material is first operative to be deposited whilethe apparatus travels in a first direction and at the end of travel insaid first direction, extrusion is terminated and the layup apparatusshifted laterally a predetermined degree above the substrate andextrusion is again initiated while said apparatus moves parallel to theprevious path of travel so as to lay or compress extrusion against thenext lateral portion of the base against which the material is beingdeposited. Termination and reinitiation of extrusion may be effected bycontrolled operation of the motor driving the extruder prime moverand/or by controlling a motor or solenoid effecting movement of atapered mandrel or externally mounted gate as provided in my copendingapplication, Ser. lllo. l-tlZAOS. The apparatus 93 oflFllG. ill may beutilized to perform the above-described operations by mounting the basel d on a manipulator M which is adapted to rotate same 180" at the endof each travel across the surface to be covered or coated so as toposition the roller as behind the extrusion die to properly receive andcompress the extrusion as against the substrate. in H0. ill power drivenbelt conveyors We and f fth are provided on both sides of the extrusiondie opening. The conveyor libs receives and compresses the extrusionagainst the substrate or frame lltlll during movement of the apparatus93 to the right while roller 98b receives and compresses the extrusionagainst the base or frame l llll during movement to the left, A pair ofnozzles 9% and 9919 are disposed on opposite sides of the extrusionorifice to respec tively deposit adhesive or reinforcing material ontothe substrate in advance of the extrusion for the purposes describeddepending on the direction of travel of the manipulation apparatus M.

in FIG. i2 is shown a modified form of the apparatus of hlGS. l and illadapted for downwardly extruding a sheet, strip, slab or structuralshape 96 to define a support or portion of a vertical wall as provided,for example, in the construction of a building or other form of housing.The apparatus of FIG. l2 is somewhat like that shown in lFlG. ill withthe exception that the support for the downwardly extruded sheet or slabof material comprises a framework of beams or other structural membersincluding one or more vertical members lltlfi against which is extrudedand compressed the downwardly extruded material. The beam lllldillustrated in FIG. l2 may comprise a corner beam or one of a pluralityof vertical beams of a boxlike skeletal framework and may, in one form,define a trackway for guiding and/or supporting the extrusion equipment93'. in one form, said extrusion equipment may be movable up and down ona mast 99 which is supported by the building framework which includesthe vertical beam member lllld as well as the ground or floor adjacentto said frame. in another form, the frame containing vertical beamllllfi may also define a trackway for guiding and supporting theextrusion equipment.

The apparatus 93" for laying an extruded sheet or slab of plastic,mortar, Portland cement or other material includes an extruder 95operative to downwardly extrude, sheet, slab or structural material 946'which is guided against a roller W3 supported by the extruder 9d or itsmount, the roller being positioned to guide the extrusion against themember W and any members adjacent thereto and, in one form, to compressill said extrusion thereagainst in a manner to effect its attachment ofbonding thereto. If the member llbfi is a channel, the roller or rollersW3 may be operative to compress portions of the extrusion lid into therecess in said channel to effect its fastening thereto. Adhesive meansmay also be disposed against the surface of member or members M5 by oneor more spray or flow heads W mounted on the extruder or by firstdisposing same against the surface of the extrusion 9b facing memberllld. Fasteners or other members applied by means (not shown) supportedby the apparatus 93 or auxiliary means may also be used to secure thedownwardly extruding sheet or slab extrusion as to the frame or baseM95.

FIGS. ill and lid show further details of an apparatus of the type shownin H0. 3111 for guiding an extrusion such as a sheet extrusion or aplurality of extrusions such as a plurality of extruded strips from amanipulated extrusion chamber to a surface of an article or preform 11%.

The apparatus 93' a includes, in addition to the described extrusionmeans and manipulating means therefore which is not illustrated in H65.113 and M, a plurality of conveying belts at least two or more pairs ofwhich are driven close to each other to cooperate in guiding theextrusion lib immediately after it passes from the cxtruder intoengagement with the surface of the structure of member Mill. At leasttwo pairs or power driven, endless belts are shown which are drivenabout respective drums llll'l supported by a frame llllb. in the planview, lFllG. ld, two upper belts 'Elllb and Slhb' are spaced laterallyapart from each other and a lineal actuator or solenoid tilt) issupported by a cross member Mid and is adapted to project and retractits shaft llllllb between the two belts to engage the upper surface ofthe extrusion as and to force it against the belts E lis beneath theupper belts to as to make the extrusion conform to the lower belts andto be driven between the lower belts and the work as illustrated in FIG.13 when the manipulation apparatus 93%: is moving in the direction ofthe arrow shown in H6. i3. Thus the solenoid or actuator llltlb isoperated when the extrusion first passes in alignment with the end rollsor drums ill? and the manipulator is to lay the extrusion on the surfaceof member llllll in moving upwardly in the direction of the arrow. Whenthe manipulator is to move downwardly and counterclockwise, the shaftllllb of actuator llllllb is retracted and the shaft lllla of a secondactuator lllla mounted beneath the conveyor belts 98a is projected toforce the extrusion as it passes the rolls against the upper belts 98band llllb' so as to cause the extrusion to be compressed between saidupper belts as they are driven around their end drums i107 and the work.Accordingly, utilizing the apparatus of FIGS. 13 and lid, the layup orcoating procedure may be effected by initiating; extrusion, guiding theextruded material between the belts and causing it to conform to theproper to as it is driven over its end drum so that the extrusion willbe compressed against the surface of the work and will be continuouslydisposed thereon as the manipulator moves in the proper direction. Whenit is desired to reverse direction of the manipulator after it isshifted laterally a sufficient degree to lay the next extrusion materialat a proper lateral distance from that just laid after the previouslayup run has been terminated, extrusion is again initiated and theproper actuator llllb is projected while the opposite actuator isretracted to cause the extrusion to conform to the proper belt fordelivering the extrusion to the surface of the substrate as themanipulator travels substantially at the speed of extrusion in theproper direction.

in FIG. l3, notations We and W!) refer to respective dispensing headsdisposed at the upper and the lower ends of frame Mill, each or both ofwhich may be predeterminately operated to perform one or more of suchfunctions as spraying an adhesive against the surface of the substrateto receive the extrusion material just prior to the disposing of saidextrusion material thereon, flame treating or heating the surface of thesubstrate to facilitate adhesion or welding of the extrusion materialthereon, spraying or otherwise dispensing a reinforcing material such asfilaments, chips, or other preformed material including, in certaininstances, adhesive or binder material therefore, against the surface ofthe substrate and/or the extrusion immediately after it is applied tothe substrate, flame treating or heating the extrusion as or immediatelyafter it is disposed against the surface of the substrate to permit itsfurther processing or otherwise affecting the surface of the substrateand/or the extrusion. As stated, the devices 990 and 99b may besimultaneously or alternately operated to dispense material, directradiant energy against the extrusion and/or substrate, dispense coolingmaterial against the extrusion or otherwise process same.

It is noted that the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 may be furthermodified to include manipulation means such as trackways similar to thetrackway 14 both inside and outside of the preform 20', the insidetrackway supporting apparatus such as spray or deposition means which isoperative to move vertically thereon as the arm 13 rotates and finish ordeposit material on the inside surface of the prefonn therebyeliminating the need to effect such operation by hand or other means andaccomplishing same at the same time the outer portion of the wall of thetank 20 is formed as described.

If the preform 20' is shaped other than cylindrically, suitable motoroperated means may be mounted on the vertically travelling carriages 17and 35 of FIGS. 1 and 3 to permit proper horizontal displacement of theheads 18 with respect to the surface location of the preform means toaccount for variations thereof as the location of the preform surfacevaries with respect to the vertical. All of the described motor operateddevices may have their motors predeterminately controlled by respectivespeed control means or by a single master controller to predeterminatelycontrol layup or winding operations. Record signal playback means orother suitable numerical or analog signal control means may be employedto effect a complete manufacturing cycle as described to produce large,hollow, tanklike structures.

FIG. 15 illustrates an automatic control diagram showing means forautomatically controlling apparatus of the type described. While thecontrol components and subsystem of FIG. 15 is particularly applicableto the apparatus shown in FIG. 2, modifications may be made thereto,particularly with respect to the servo motors employed for manipulatingthe layup head so as to provide a similar control system for controllingthe layup apparatus shown in the other Figures of the drawing.

The apparatus 198 includes an automatic program controller 199 capableof generating a plurality of coded digital and/or analog control signalson different outputs 199' thereof for controlling the different motorsinvolved in the operation of the layup or winding apparatus shown inFIG. 2. The motors MR, M11, M12, M13 and M14 are each operated andpredeterminately controlled in response to digital pulse signalsgenerated by the computer or command control generator 199. Each of saidmotors is provided with a control unit having the general numericalnotation 200 followed by the alphabetical notation relating to theparticular motor. Details of each control unit 200 are shown in thedashed-out line box 2001L which relates to the controller for the motorM11. The controller 200 receives on its input signals generated by themaster controller 199 such as a series of binary digital pulse codeswhich are generated in reading punched card or, more preferably, aparticular track of a multitrack magnetic tape defining the recordingmedium of a magnetic recorder forming part of the signal generator orcomputer 199. Binary code pulse output of generator 199 extends to aseries-to-parallel diode converter 201 located in the controller 200where each code command is converted to a parallel code which code istransmitted to a relay storage bank 202 containing precision resistorelements. The resistance setup in the relay storage unit 202 isproportional to the digital infonnation transmitted to the controller200 as reproduced from the recording medium or tape therein. Thus, therelay storage unit 202 introduces a resistance proportional to thenumerical value of the original command control signal transmittedthereto into a self-balancing bridge part of a comparator device 200C. Afeedback signal is generated during operation of the servo motor M11which controls rotation of the manipulator arm 24 about the joint 11 bya response potentiometer 207 which is coupled to the shaft of the outputof motor M11 and provides an error signal to said comparator 200C whichis used to control the operation of said motor in moving the entireassembly comprising arms 24, 25 and 26 as well as the deposition orlayup head 18 in a vertical direction. If it is desired to maintain aparticular vertical attitude of the arm 24 relative to the joint 11during the operation of one or more of the other servo motors inpredeterminately manipulating their respective assemblies, then saiderror signal diminishes to zero when the bridge in the comparator unitbalances, resulting in a null condition in the comparator where themotor M11 will stop. For those operations involving constantly movingthe layup head 18 to effect a spirallike or helical winding or layup ofthe filaments against the preform, the signal generated on the input tomotor M11 will be of such a nature as to slowly operate said motor tolower or raise the assembly supported thereby at a rate sufficient toeffect the proper vertical movement of the layup head 18 during thewinding operation.

The automatic controllers 200MR, 20012, 20013 and 20014 of the describedmotors MR, M12, M13 and M14 are similar in operation to the controller200-11 described and each receive digital command codes generated by thecommand signal generator 199 for properly operating the entiremanipulator to properly move the layup head 18 in rotation, verticallyand, in certain instances which will depend upon the shape of thepreform, in a horizontal direction relative thereto.

A second automatic controller 203 is illustrated as operative to controlthe means for feeding and, in those instances where applicable,extruding filaments or other layup material against the preform in themanners described. The controlled motor me is a hydraulic-operated motorwhich is directly controlled in its operation by a variable displacementpump 206 forming part of a control subsystem defined by the notation203. The control subsystem 203 includes an electric stroker 204connected to operate a hydraulic stroker 205 which, when varied by saidelectric stroker variably operates the variable displacement hydraulicpump 206 for providing controller operation of the motor ME. A closedloop speed control system is provided in which the output speed motor MEis measured by a feedback tachometer 208 which, is driven by the outputshaft of the motor ME. The output of the feedback tachometer 208 isbucked against a reference signal generated, for example, by reproducingan electrical signal of predetermined characteristics on the output ofthe command signal generator and feeding same to a comparator device203" such as a voltage comparator or summing amplifier having its inputsconnected directly to the feedback tachometer 208 and an output of thesignal generator 199. The electric stroker 204 thus controls theoperation of the hydraulic stroker 205 which in turn controls thedisplacement of the variable displacement pump 206 which directlycontrols the motor ME operating the screw or piston of the extruder ormeans of supplying filaments or layup material to the layup ahead.

Comparator units similar to the unit 203 provided to control the motorME are also provided in FIG. 15 to control a pump motor MP operative tocontrol a pump 70? for dispensing liquid plastic or layup material fromthe, described nozzle 70. A third automatic controller 203 is shownoperatively connected to control a motor MF which operates the feedroller 75 for feeding the layup material or filaments to the surface ofthe preform as described in FIG. 7.

Also shown in FIG. 15 is the radiant energy-generating device 71utilized to effect a fast cure of the resin deposited against thesurface of the preform through the nozzle or bank of nozzles defined bynotation 70. The device 71 may comprise an electron gun or other sourceof suitable radiation which is switched on and off or varied inintensity in accordance with signals generated and transmitted theretofrom lid the command signal generator 199 according to the particularrequirements of the particular layup or winding operation.

In the event that a filament-winding apparatus of the type shown inFIGS. and 7 which feeds a plurality of filaments from respectiveprewound spools is employed, then the control system of FIG. l5 wouldnot include an extrusion head and the illustrated means for controllingsuch a head.

FIG. lb illustrates an automatic filament-winding system employingdirect digital control of servo motors and devices of the typedescribed. A command signal generator 2ft) such as a multicircuit timer,card or tape reader generates signals on a plurality of outputs Ellthereof which signals are transmitted to directly control the operationof such devices as those shown in FIGS. fl and 9, for example, includingthe motor MT for driving the carriage till around its circulartraclrway, the motor M2 for driving the filament-winding apparatus upand down the column bit, the motor lVlY for advancing thefilamom-winding head towards and retracting same away from the surfaceof the worlt for the purposes described, the motors lid and M forclampingly engaging and advancing the filamerits fed from the extruderor coil supply thereof against the surface of the preform 2b, the motorMil-1E for rotating the drum Elli which engages the filaments againstthe surface of the worlt during the winding or layup operation and, oneor more motors utilized to operate one or more pumps for dispensing oneor more liquid layup materials such as different resins or a resin and acatalyst therefore, said pump motors being designated MPll and MP2 whichare respectively connected to operate pumps PI and P2 both of which areshown feeding the dispensing nozzle or nozzles b9. A further output ofthe command control unit Zllil is shown connected to operate the radiantenergy device 7ll described.

Also shown in FIG. lb is a pressure switch 2H2 supported so as to engagethe surface of the preform when the layup material or filaments FR arecompressively engaged against said preform surface by the clampingdevice ill. The switch 212 is operatively connected to the stop controlS of lineal actuator motor M to stop the forward motion of the clampingdevice fill when the filaments are properly engaged thereby against thepreform surface. Controls 1F and R of the actuator ll-t respectivelyinitiate forward movement of the clamping device and reverse movementwhile a single control input to the clamping fixture motor d5 is used tocause the clamping fixture ill to engage the filaments when said inputis energized by a signal generated by the control unit 210. Controls Uand D for the motor MZ are respectively utilized to effect upward driveand downward drive of the motor M2 in accordance with the requirementsof a winding or layup cycle.

The pumps Pll and P2 may be respectively operated either simultaneouslyor in sequence to deliver different layup materials against the preformin accordance with predetermined manufacturing requirements or may eachbe predeterminately controlled to deliver both a resin and its catalystsuch as polyester resin and the catalyst therefore, to the surface ofthe preform in accordance with predetermined requirements.

By utilizing variable control means of the types provided in FIGS. lb"and 116, a highly flexible and variable layup apparatus is providedwhich may be used to form a variety of dif ferent structures by a numberof different techniques employed per se, in sequence or simultaneously.For example, an apparatus of the type described employing filamentwinding and spray means which are predeterminately controllable, may beutilized to form large hollow bodies of revolution by filament winding,combined with a spraying operation to provide a predetermined amount ofbinding material for the wound filaments. The same apparatus may also beutilized to form a large hollow body of revolution by spraying a layupmaterial such as a suitable resin per se or one which foams in situimmediately after it is expelled from the spray or dispensing head.Large bodies of revolution may be formed of composite materialsincluding a preform on which is disposed a first resin such as afoamed-in-place plastic on the top of which is disposed at second resinand filaments by means such as provided in FIG. 11d. Or, conversely, afilament-wound or reinforced material may be disposed on a preform overwhich said material a second material such as a self-foamed resin orother suitable material may be disposed by the same layup apparatus forprotecting or insulating the base material.

In still another form of the invention, an extruder provided on adeposition head may be operative to form a preform by extruding a sheetmaterial or plurality of filaments against a plurality of uprights,after which further extruded material or filaments and resin aredisposed or deposited against the base material.

By providing means as described for predeterminately controlling thespeed of operation of the manipulator servo motors, the filament-windingmaterial or extrusion material and the sprayed-on deposition material,as well as the other variables described, process variations may bederived which will optimize both the shape of the body being formed andthe amount of time required to form and cure same.

It is noted that while the electrical circuitry in FIGS. 15 and 116 isshown in block notation in order to simplify the diagrams, it is assumedthat suitable electrical power means is provided on the correct sides ofall switches, motors, solenoids and controls for properly operating samepredeterminately as determined by the operation of the programcontrollers 1199 and Eli). Adaptive control means including means fordetecting tension in the filaments F or the physical characteristics ofthe extrusion applied to the substrate as or before it is disposedthereagainst, may also be utilized to provide feedback signals forcorrecting or optimizing such extrusion variables as the speed ofoperation of the extrusion screw, temperature of the extrudate or meltas or before it is extruded and/or operation of the driven andcompression rolls 7d and 9b. In connection with the operation anddisposition of the program controllers 1199 and M0 it is noted that theymay be suitably supported on the described manipulation apparatus forthe layup heads such as on the manipulator arms, frames, carriages orbases and operatively connected to the controls for the variousservomotors by wires, brushes and slip rings or by short wave means toeffect control.

The program controlled means shown in FIG. id for selectively deliveringa plurality of different materials to the single injection nozzle 89 mayalso be modified and utilized to deliver two or more of a plurality ofextrusion materials either simultaneously at respective predeterminedrates of flow to the extruder lb or in sequence. The quantity and timingof the flow of each extrusion material to the extrusion die beingpredetermined controlled by different signals generated by the commandsignal generator 2th on respective outputs connected to controlrespective extrusion material feed motors operating respective extrusionscrews or other means for feed ing respective materials to the extrusionchamber. Thus the extrusion F may be composed of predeterminedquantities of different extrusion materials such as a core of onematerial and a coating of a different material or an extrusion whichvaries in composition along its length in accordance with predeterminedrequirements. Extrusions which vary in color along their length may alsobe similarly produced for color coding or decorative purposes. F orexample, by program controlling the flow of different colored resins tothe extrusion die, the filaments P may be variably colored so as toproduce different decorative patterns on the surface of the preform orother suitable substrate against which the filaments F are extruded.

A modified form of the apparatus of FIG. 16 employing two or more feedscrews or pumps to provide different extrusion materials to a singleextrusion die under the control of an automatic controller or programcontrol means of the type described may also be provided to form one ormore extrusions of materials which vary in density or flexibility. Forexample, an extrusion may be formed having discrete portions of itslength formed of a low-density polymer such as low-density polyethylenewhich low density or flexible portions are interposed between otherportions of the extrusion which are made of higher density or more rigidresin such as a high density polyethylene. The low density or flexibleportions may be easily bent, compressed or otherwise deformed while thehigh density portions provide greater support and may remain undefonnedduring use. Filaments, sheets, strips or other shapes may be utilized aslayup or reinforcing material requiring portions thereof to be flexiblefor hinge, bending or expansion purposes. Tubular shapes having majorsections made of rigid plastic such as rigid vinyl or linearpolyethylene having short portions of its length made of more flexiblepolymers interposed between said more rigid portions may be bent offlexed at said flexible portions. Each of the rigid and flexiblepolymers may be fed from a respective pump or extrusion screw feeding asingle extrusion chamber or die, the pumps or screws being respectivelycontrolled by a single multicircuit timer such as 210 employing directsignal generation to start and stop the motors thereof or to feed acontroller, such as subsystem 203 of FIG. 15 for each of the extrusionor pump motors. Thus by varying the programming or signals recorded inthe extrusion program controller extrusions may be produced which notonly vary in density along their lengths but which also vary in densityacross any particular cross section thereof. Such apparatus may be usedfor layup or construction means as described or for producing extrusionwhich vary in composition along their length.

In connection with the hereinabove suggested hardening of a fillermaterial between the bottom of the housing 48 and the upper surface ofthe tarmac T of FIG. 4, it is noted that suitable retaining means forsaid filler material may be provided by securing planking or strippingaround the preform against the upper surface of the tarmac T in thevicinity of the periphery of the housing 48. It is also noted that ahood may be provided surrounding the layup head 18 of the apparatus ofFIGS. 1-3 to prevent dust and dirt from contaminating the layup materialbefore it sets.

Iclaim:

1. Apparatus for forming walled structures such as housings, vessels andthe like comprising:

a. extrusion means including a head having a die for defining the shapeof an extrusion and for continuously expressing hardenable material fromsaid die in a shape adapted to form at least part of the wall of thestructure, manipulation means for said extrusion means,

c. support means including a preform for receiving the extrusion afterit leaves said die for fixedly supporting said extrusion in space,

d. means for controlling the operation of said manipulation means tocause said head to be conveyed in a predetermined path with respect tosaid preform to guide the extrusion expressing from said die and todispose it against said preform so as 50 form a wall-like covering onsaid preform and e. means for securing said extrusion to said preform asit is disposed thereon to form an integral assembly therewith.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, said die comprising a sheetingdie operative to form said hardenable material into a sheet which islayed on and covers said preform.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, said die being shaped to forman oblong structural member, said manipulation means being operative tolay said oblong member against said preform, and a means for securingsaid oblong member to said prefonn as it exits from said die.

4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, said die being shaped to form aplurality of oblong structural members thereof, said manipulation meansbeing operative to lay said plurality of oblong structural members ontosaid preform.

5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, said extrusion means includingmeans for extruding and feeding a plurality of winding filaments fromsaid head and means for controlling rotation of said preform means topermit said filaments to be wound thereon.

6. Apparatus for forming large hollow bodies comprising:

a. a preform having a wall against the outer surface of which layupmaterial may be deposited,

b. a track fixedly supported around said preform at the lower endthereof,

c. a carriage operative to travel said track,

d. a guideway supported at its lower end by said carriage, and extendingupwardly therefrom adjacent said preform,

e. layup means for material to be disposed against the outer surface ofsaid preform including a working head and means for dispensing materialtherefrom,

f. means for movably supporting and moving said head along said upwardlyextending guideway,

. first power operated means for driving said head in both directions onsaid guideway,

. an upstanding support supported and extending beyond the upper end ofsaid preform and inwardly of the wall of the preform,

. said upstanding support being connected to the upper end of saidvertical guideway for supporting said guideway from above,

j. second power operated means for driving said carriage around saidtrack to convey said working head around and adjacent to said preform,

k. means for feeding material to be deposited to said working head andcontrol means for said material feeding means, and

1. master control means for controlling operation of said first andsecond power means and said means for feeding material to said workinghead in a preprogrammed cycle to cause the head to predeterminatelytravel said vertical guideway and to be predeterminately conveyed aroundsaid preform and to control flow of layup material therefrom so as topredeterminately dispose said layup material against said preform.

. Apparatus for forming large hollow bodies comprising:

. a preform having a wall against the surface of which layup materialmay be placed and solidified in situ thereon,

a manipulator including an upstanding support supported interior of saidpreform,

. a first arm pivotally supported by said upstanding support, and

. a layup fixture supported at the end of said first arm,

a working head supported by said layup fixture beyond the outer surfaceof said preform,

means for operating said layup fixture to move said working headvertically a distance away from the outer surface of the preform,

g. means for feeding material to be deposited on said preform to saidworking head, and control means for said material feeding means,

h. first means for rotating said first arm about said upstanding supportto convey said layup fixture around said preform, first control meansfor said rotating means,

i. second control means for said means moving said working headvertically and j. master control means for controlling the operation ofsaid first and second control means and said control means for saidmeans for feeding material to said working head in a preprogrammed cyclewhereby said working head is predeterminately conveyed about saidpreform and said material is predeterminately dispensed therefrom ontosaid preform.

8. An apparatus in accordance with claim 7, wherein said layup fixtureincludes a second arm pivotally supported at the end of the first arm, athird arm pivotally supported at the end of said second arm andssupporting said working head, and means controlled by said mastercontrol means for power rotating said second arm on said first arm andsaid third arm on said second arm to permit predetermined positioning ofsaid working head with respect to the surface of said preform atdifferent height locations thereof.

9. Apparatus for forming large hollow bodies comprising:

a. a preform defining a surface of revolution,

b. means for supporting said preform in a substantially verticalattitude,

c. a circular track fixedly supported at the lower end of said preform,

d. a carriage operative to travel said track,

e. a vertical guideway supported by said carriage and operative totravel around said preform as the carriage travels said track in a pathwhereby said vertical guideway is guided at substantially a constantdistance away from the surface of revolution of said preform,

layup means for material to be disposed against the outer surface ofsaid preform including a working head and means for dispensing materialtherefrom,

g. means for movahly supporting and moving said head along said verticalguideway,

. first power operated means for driving said head in both directions onsaid vertical guideway,

. second power operated means for driving said carriage around saidtrack to convey said working head around and adjacent to the workingsurface of said preform,

. means for feeding material to be deposited to said working head, and

. control means for controlling operation on said first and second powermeans and said means feeding material to said working head to cause thehead to predeterminately travel said vertical guideway and to beconveyed around said preform so as to predcterminately dispose materialagainst said preform. it). An apparatus for forming hollow bodies bypredeterminately disposing material onto a preform comprising:

layup means including a working head,

means for supporting said preform adjacent said working head and meansfor relatively moving said head and said preform to cause the head topredeterminately scan the surface of said preform,

means for controllably feeding radiation curable material to saidworking head, and feeding said material from said head to said preformas the head scans the surface of the preform, and a source of radiationdisposed adjacent to said working head and operative to direct radiationagainst said radiation curable material as it is disposed against saidpreform so as to cure same in situ on said preform.

111. An apparatus in accordance with claim it) including means forfeeding filamentary material to and from said head against said preformtogether with said radiation curable material so as to bind saidfilamentary material in the radiation cured material.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, said die comprising a sheetingdie operative to form said hardenable material into a sheet which islayed on and covers said preform.
 3. Apparatus in accordance with claim1, said die being shaped to form an oblong structural member, saidmanipulation means being operative to lay said oblong member againstsaid preform, and a means for securing said oblong member to saidpreform as it exits from said die.
 4. Apparatus in accordance with claim1, said die being shaped to form a plurality of oblong structuralmembers thereof, said manipulation means being operative to lay saidplurality of oblong structural members onto said preform.
 5. Apparatusin accordance with claim 1, said extrusion means including means forextruding and feeding a plurality of winding filaments from said headand means for controlling rotation of said preform means to permit saidfilaments to be wound thereon.
 6. Apparatus for forming large hollowbodies comprising: a. a preform having a wall against the outer surfaceof which layup material may be deposited, b. a track fixedly supportedaround said preform at the lower end thereof, c. a carriage operative totravel said track, d. a guideway supported at its lower end by saidcarriage, and extending upwardly therefrom adjacent said preform, e.layup means for material to be disposed against the outer surface ofsaid preform including a working head and means for dispensing materialtherefrom, f. means for movably supporting and moving said head alongsaid upwardly extending guideway, g. first power operated means fordriving said head in both directions on said guideway, h. an upstandingsupport supported and extending beyond the upper end of said preform andinwardly of the wall of the preform, i. said upstanding support beingconnected to the upper end of said vertical guideway for supporting saidguideway from above, j. second power operated means for driving saidcarriage around said track to convey said working head around andadjacent to said preform, k. means for feeding material to be depositedto said working head and control means for said material feeding means,and
 7. Apparatus for forming large hollow bodies comprising: a. apreform having a wall against the surface of which layup material may beplaced and solidified in situ thereon, b. a manipulator including anupstanding support supported interior of said preform, c. a first armpivotally supported by said upstanding support, and d. a layup fixturesupported at the end of said first arm, e. a working head supported bysaid layup fixture beyond the outer surface of said preform, f. meansfor operating said layup fixture to move said working head vertically adistance away from the outer surface of the preform, g. means forfeeding material to be deposited on said preform to said working head,and control means for said material feeding means, h. first means forrotating said first arm about said upstanding support to convey saidlayup fixture around said preform, first control means for said rotatingmeans, i. second control means for said means moving said working headvertically and j. master control means for controlling the operation ofsaid first and second control means and said control means for saidmeans for feeding material to said working head in a preprogrammed cyclewhereby said working head is predeterminately conveyed about saidpreform and said material is predeterminately dispensed therefrom ontosaid preform.
 8. An apparatus in accordance with claim 7, wherein saidlayup fixture includes a second arm pivotally supported at the end ofthe first arm, a third arm pivotally supported at the end of said secondarm ands supporting said working head, and means controlled by saidmaster control means for power rotating said second arm on said firstarm and said third arm on said second arm to permit predeterminedpositioning of said working head with respect to the surface of saidpreform at different height locations thereof.
 9. Apparatus for forminglarge hollow bodies comprising: a. a preform defining a surface ofrevolution, b. means for supporting said preform in a substantiallyvertical attitude, c. a circular track fixedly supported at the lowerend of said preform, d. a carriage operative to travel said track, e. avertical guideway supported by said carriage and operative to travelaround said preform as the carriage travels said track in a path wherebysaid vertical guideway is guided at substantially a constant distanceaway from the surface of revolution of said preform, f. layup means formaterial to be disposed against the outer surface of said preformincluding a working head and means for dispensing material therefrom, g.means for movably supporting and moving said head along said verticalguideway, h. first power operated means for driving said head in bothdirections on said vertical guideway, i. second power operated means fordriving said carriage around said track to convey said working headaround and adjacent to the working surface of said preform, j. means forfeeding material to be deposited to said working head, and k. controlmeans for controlling operation on said first and second power means andsaid means feeding material to said working head to cause the head topredeterminately travel said vertical guideway and to be conveyed aroundsaid preform so as to predeterminately dispose material against saidpreform.
 10. An apparatus for forming hollow bodies by predeterminatelydisposing material onto a preform comprising: layup means including aworking head, means for supporting said preform adjacent said workinghead and means for relatively moving said head and said preform to causethe head to predeterminately scan the surface of said preform, means forcontrollably feeding radiation curable material to said working head,and feeding said material from said head to said preform as the headscans the surface of the preform, and a source of radiation disposedadjacent to said working head and operative to direct radiation againstsaid radiation curable material as it is disposed against said preformso as to cure same in situ on said preform.
 11. An apparatus inaccordance with claim 10 including means for feeding filamentarymaterial to and from said head against said preform together with saidradiation curable material so as to bind said filamentary material inthe radiation cured material.